Not Alone
by The Social Heretic
Summary: Lethe lies in bed, pondering love and life, before being pleasantly surprised by everyone's favorite mischevious little cat. Lethe x Ranulf, again. Rated T for sexual content.


**A/N: Another Lethe x Ranulf story from Mavvie. Oh well.**

**Well, for anyone who has even taken the slightest glance at my profile, music is everything to me. So, this fic is very much inspired by (and includes a few excerpts from the lyrics of) the song "Not Alone" by All That Remains. Takes place somewhere in Part 4 of Radiant Dawn.**

**WARNING: Things get pretty racy near the end, so be warned of some slight sexual content.**

"_Now I feel the passion burning,  
This what drives me further,  
Strengthens my resolve to push me further._

_I'm not alone with the touch of your hand I am whole again,  
I'm not alone with the touch of your hand I am whole again."_

Lethe sat alone on her bunk inside the fort. She removed her battle worn garments, and cuddled up under the light, musty sheets. She stared out the crudely shaped window at the full moon shining down. The life of a warrior is a lonely one, Lethe pondered. She briefly entertained the thought of what her life would be like if she'd chosen to be like some of the other females in her tribe; staying home in Gallia and raising the younglings. She quickly removed the thought from her mind, deciding such an existence would drive her mad. She loved the thrill of battle, and the sense of pride she received from military duty. But there was still something missing.

Lethe felt the urges, and the loathsome pangs in her chest. She denied it time and time again, but it didn't go away. She was lonely. She always kept her distance from everyone, but she was beginning to realize what she was doing to herself. She had decided early in her life, that close connections only caused complications. The risks of battle were too great, and losing a loved one would simply hamper with her capabilities as a fighter. Nothing to lose meant that there would be no reason to hesitate or hold back. But then again, what was the point of fighting with no cause? Relationships were not simply distractions or assets, as she originally thought. Throughout the past two wars, after watching the sheer power and determination of her comrades, she realized that it was all due to their connections with loved ones. Commander Ike was fueled by his will to protect his friends. But Lethe? What was she fighting for? And even more so, who would fight for her?

Then _he_ popped into her mind. That foolish, lovable cat. He could always find a way to aggravate her on the deepest level, but there was always a hint of something else behind his words. Sometimes Lethe cursed her superior perception. She wished she didn't notice the way his eyes sparkled when he talked to her; only her. The softer tone he used compared to the humor-laced comments when he conversed with other comrades. The way he would place his hand on the back of her neck when addressing her directly. She knew it. She knew he was trying to get at her. But all these years, she'd chosen the loneliness. She chose to be powerful, when in reality it was weakening her. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Ranulf had snuck into her seemingly calloused heart. She sincerely cared about him. If only he could see her now. She could picture his smug, yet endearing grin. He'd never let her live it down. Not that she would want him to.

She began thinking of how she could let him know. It would have been completely against who she was to randomly walk up to him and confess. She wasn't great with emotions. All she knew was...

"I love you, Ranulf." Lethe quietly confessed to herself, closing her eyes contentedly. That was when she felt a calloused, playful hand graze her arm. Her eyes flew open wildly, and she pulled her sheets up higher to cover her chest. She sat up and stared, surprised, into a mint green eye, and a majestic purple eye, only inches from her face.  
Ranulf grinned like a child at the beautiful young woman before him. He'd come to check up on her, and had heard her mumble to herself. He could barely contain his excitement.

"... You didn't happen to hear that, did you?" Lethe stared tentatively, furrowing her brows slightly.

"Mhmm." Ranulf smiled sincerely. There was a long silent pause, as their hot breath mingled between their mouths.

"...Well?" Lethe asked in a reluctant, yet curious tone.

"I love you too."

Their lips pressed together in a sweet, passionate release of emotions. Lethe tried to stay composed. She tried to maintain control, but Ranulf seemed to have that weird effect on her. She decided that just this once, for just one night, she would listen to what the little voice in her head told her. Tonight, it was telling her that she had better not let go of this man's face, under _any_ circumstances.

Ranulf had never been happier before this moment. Years of working his way in, trying to get around her wall of isolation, waiting for her to open her heart's door to him; it all paid off. Her lips were just as soft and tender as he'd imagined all this time. He fought to hold back his instincts as he stared at her creamy bare shoulders. He moved his mouth lower, kissing the hollow of her neck. This elicited a cat-like purr from Lethe. Nervously, she slowly let go of her bed sheets, and freed her modest bust. Ranulf glanced down, then back up, chuckling softly. Lethe wrapped her arms around his neck, and he fisted his hand in her hair. He pressed one hand into the lowest part of her back, and rolled over onto the bed. She climbed on top of him and straddled his hips, never relinquishing the feel of his mouth on hers. Ranulf groaned as he felt her hot core press against him. He grabbed the sheets and pulled them up over their conjoined bodies. Ranulf broke off the kiss, and Lethe shot him a dangerous, quizzical glare. He pressed his forehead to hers, and smiled sweetly despite her clear frustration with his denial of her pleasure.

"What are you waiting for?" Lethe asked breathlessly in a husky tone.

"Say it." He grinned in an impish manner. "Just once more." Lethe rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I love you, Ranulf." Her face was dead serious, as usual.

"I love you too, Lethe."

**A/N: Here you go. I want send out HUGE thanks to FireEdge (go read her stuff, seriously, she's amazing), who helped me greatly with the editing process of this fic.**

**Reviews appreciated, I want to know what my readers think!**


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